Community Forums

sixkilo · 03-23-2023, 11:11 AM

I have a 2013 32CA. Shore power is unavailable right now. Are there downsides in putting a disconnect switch on house batteries [2 6v deep cycles ]. I already put one on chassis battery. Thanks

twinboat · 03-23-2023, 11:15 AM

No downside but you should already have a battery disconnect switch.

If a few things still stay on with it off, move the wiring so that shut off.

BCam · 03-23-2023, 11:21 AM

None that I can think of. Things like your propane alarm, radio memory, etc. won't be operational but the whole point of a total disconnect switch is to eliminate such "parasitic" loads. Your existing battery disconnect switch doesn't disconnect these loads.

Personally, I have a small 50A solar panel (25A would suffice) strapped to my rear ladder (which conveniently faces south), and an inexpensive solar controller. This keeps both my house batteries and starting battery charged. My starting battery charges from the house batteries via an Amp-L-Start which is no longer available. There are similar devices available as are solar controllers that support two battery banks.

shootist · 03-23-2023, 11:26 AM

Absolutely put a disconnect or pull the cables (+&-) that go to the coach. The series cable can be left in place.

brokenrule · 03-23-2023, 03:23 PM

I’ve got a battery doctor post type discount switch on the house batteries and have had no problem. I use a battery tender solar panel in a south facing window. Been working great for years.

sixkilo · 03-24-2023, 09:32 AM

Does anyone have experience of the type of disconnect which clamps to battery post and has a post sized appendage to place cable on? Also can you then place disconnect before battery and frame ground to break continuity?

dssl · 03-25-2023, 08:04 PM

I think the biggest issue with your coach is where to put it. It's fine to put it on the positive or negative or negative termina, positive terminal is more common.

If you put it under the step then it requires you to remove the step each time which is a big part of just disconnecting the negative terminal.

I guess you could route a cable from under the step to a storage bay behind the step, and then back to the storage bay. This increases the total amount of wire which is good to minimize. You want the wire well protected, and go big on the wire so you don't add too much resistance. Using the negative seems a safer, since a short to ground won't cause an unfused short of your batteries, although you still want the wire well protected, with a wire loom, or conduit.

shootist · 03-25-2023, 08:13 PM

I put a blue seas 3001 on mine. 600 amp, 900 amp intermittent. Monaco used one of those tinkertoy orange ones, or a previous owner put it on. The good blue seas is grey.